WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Alonzo Mourning scored six of his 24
points during a late 10-0 run as the Miami Heat snapped their
four-game losing skid with a 90-79 victory over the Washington
Wizards.

The Wizards trailed by 16 points in the third quarter before
fighting within 74-72 with 4:55 remaining on a tip-in by Juwan
Howard.

"We definitely felt we had a handle on it when it was cut to
two," said Wizards guard Mitch Richmond. "Our problem is, we
let games slip away in the end. We need to play harder."

Mourning began the decisive burst with a hook and Tim Hardaway
capped it by making the second of two foul shots with 57 seconds
left, giving Miami an 84-72 advantage.

Washington went four-plus minutes without a point until Randell
Jackson made two free throws with 46 seconds to play, when the
game already was decided.

"It was a good way to end this skid," said Mourning. "The
numbers are there, I should be giving more. I'm always thinking
of a way to win. If we're making a run for this, I have to give
150 percent."

Mourning also pulled down 17 rebounds and Hardaway collected 20
points and eight assists for the Heat, whose four-game skid was
their longest in nearly three years. They have not lost five
straight since January 8-15, 1996.

"It's good to break this streak," said Heat coach Pat Riley. "We
need to be getting back to playing better basketball, though.
This team doesn't quit. We need to focus now and get ready for
Toronto (on Tuesday)."

Howard scored 20 points and Rod Strickland added 18 points,
seven rebounds and eight assists for the Wizards, who have
dropped three games to Miami this season by an average of 13
points.

Washington had a chance to immediately answer Mourning's hook
but Otis Thorpe misfired on a pair of free throws. After the
teams traded possessions, Miami's Terry Porter drove for a
layup. The Wizards committed a shot-clock violation and
Mourning gave Miami an 80-72 lead with a 17-foot jumper with
2:11 remaining.

Richmond missed a short jumper and P.J. Brown pushed the lead to
nine points by making the second of two free throws. Thorpe
again missed two free throws with 1:23 remaining and Mourning
made two with 1:03 left.

"We had some defensive breakdowns in the fourth," Howard said.
"Physically, it was a tough game. But that wasn't an excuse. We
need to find a way to get into the (playoff) hunt. We're going
to have to win the majority of our games now. I think we still
have a chance."

Jamal Mashburn netted 18 points and Porter added 13 for Miami,
which shot 46 percent (30-of-65) from the field, including
6-of-14 from beyond the arc. They overcame 24-of-34 free-throw
shooting by holding a 40-37 advantage on the boards and turning
17 Washington turnovers into 23 points.

"Getting the win was good," said Hardaway. "How we did it was
even better, with tough playing basketball. We kept our
composure and we did the little things to win this one. Nothing
spectacular, we just got back to the basics."

Richmond scored 16 points and Thorpe added 12 and five rebounds
for the Wizards, who connected on 42 percent (28-of-67) and were
19-of-30 from the line.

"We didn't make our shots tonight, plain and simple," Strickland
said. "We're playing hard, just not consistently. We let the
opportunities we had pass us by. We couldn't get the edge the
whole game."

The Heat took the lead in the opening moments of the first
quarter and held the advantage throughout. They threatened to
put away the contest in the third period, when a 12-2 run capped
by Mashburn's 16-footer made it 70-54.

But Washington closed the quarter on a 10-0 spurt, coming within
six points on Thorpe's layup with 37 seconds left.